Monday, May 17, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
They won so often, by so much, it got boring!
from www.na.northsails.com:
ELAN WINS AT AMERICAN YC SPRING SERIES
Powered by a 100% North Sails inventory, John Hammel and crew score 9 bullets in 11 races
John Hammel of Arlington, MA, and crew aboard his Beneteau 36.7 Elan had a banner weekend in Rye, NY, winning the American Yacht Club Spring Series, both in class and the coveted 1888 Trophy for best level performance. Racing in a very competitive 7-boat fleet, team Elan easily won the class by scoring nine bullets in the eleven-race series. John took a few moments after his excellent win to share some of his strategies on how to stay on top of the fleet.
What was they key to your victory/success at the AYC Spring Series?
I am fortunate to have an excellent crew who have been together for several seasons. In this event, we added two new sailors who I met while frostbiting on J/24s in Boston this winter. We put the two new folks in the floater and mast positions so they could get a sense for how we do things. While we had good boat speed (Gill Watt, David Sipes and Tim Platt are our trimmers), and reliably solid tactics (Ed Doherty), I think it was the crew's boat handling (Ron Imbriale, Cameron O'Connor, Trevor Perkins and Duffy McStewart on Pit, Bow, Mast and Floater respectively) that allowed us to consistently finish first. Eleven races means 22 spinnaker sets and eleven douses, each one was flawless with the chute drawing while still overlapped with mark, excepting the very last one, where I called for the hoist a hair early and thereby introduced a twist on the way up. Douses are “no brainers,” and I can call an extra gybe at the last minute or ask for a "Mexican floater" with six lengths to go and they respond every time. This gives us more options and confidence than most other boats on the course.
Our complete North Sails inventory was also instrumental for us, especially our new 2S AirX 600 chute, which we got in the Fall, and used at the Spring Series in 15 knots true and below. The #3, while having hundreds of races on it, still performed well in the one breezy we race had. (Note: Team Elan races with a 100% North Sails Class Sail Development inventory.)
Do you plan on staying with the Ben 36.7 indefinitely? Is there another class that interests you?
The Beneteau 36.7 is just a fabulous boat. I use it to day sail with friends, cruise with the family and race as often as possible. As long as there continues to be a strong one design class, I'll likely stay with it.
What’s next for Elan?
Elan will participate in our Club races including NYYC Annual Regatta and NYYC Race week and then we will begin an intensive program of one design racing in September to prepare for the Beneteau 36.7's North American Championship in Annapolis in October. This will be the first North American Championship we’ve raced in since finishing 3rd in the 2006 event.
What advice would you give a new Ben 36.7 owner just entering the racing scene?
My advice for new 36.7 racers? Stay with it. I bought the Elan new in Spring 2003. In June of that year, we went to Block Island Race Week and after five days of racing, finished dead last in our class. That was seven full seasons ago. In the past three seasons, we've never finished worst than third at a Beneteau 36.7 one design regatta. It was a long, slow learning curve. So, stay with it, don't accept mediocrity from yourself, crew or equipment; always push yourself and your crew to improve. For example, when we got really dialed-in and were consistently winning at the AYC Spring Series this year, we made sure to check the time delta to the 2nd place boat at every mark and worked hard to extend on each leg, whether the delta was 3 seconds or 3 minutes. Always push for improvement and you will get it.
I am fortunate to have an excellent crew who have been together for several seasons. In this event, we added two new sailors who I met while frostbiting on J/24s in Boston this winter. We put the two new folks in the floater and mast positions so they could get a sense for how we do things. While we had good boat speed (Gill Watt, David Sipes and Tim Platt are our trimmers), and reliably solid tactics (Ed Doherty), I think it was the crew's boat handling (Ron Imbriale, Cameron O'Connor, Trevor Perkins and Duffy McStewart on Pit, Bow, Mast and Floater respectively) that allowed us to consistently finish first. Eleven races means 22 spinnaker sets and eleven douses, each one was flawless with the chute drawing while still overlapped with mark, excepting the very last one, where I called for the hoist a hair early and thereby introduced a twist on the way up. Douses are “no brainers,” and I can call an extra gybe at the last minute or ask for a "Mexican floater" with six lengths to go and they respond every time. This gives us more options and confidence than most other boats on the course.
Our complete North Sails inventory was also instrumental for us, especially our new 2S AirX 600 chute, which we got in the Fall, and used at the Spring Series in 15 knots true and below. The #3, while having hundreds of races on it, still performed well in the one breezy we race had. (Note: Team Elan races with a 100% North Sails Class Sail Development inventory.)
Do you plan on staying with the Ben 36.7 indefinitely? Is there another class that interests you?
The Beneteau 36.7 is just a fabulous boat. I use it to day sail with friends, cruise with the family and race as often as possible. As long as there continues to be a strong one design class, I'll likely stay with it.
What’s next for Elan?
Elan will participate in our Club races including NYYC Annual Regatta and NYYC Race week and then we will begin an intensive program of one design racing in September to prepare for the Beneteau 36.7's North American Championship in Annapolis in October. This will be the first North American Championship we’ve raced in since finishing 3rd in the 2006 event.
What advice would you give a new Ben 36.7 owner just entering the racing scene?
My advice for new 36.7 racers? Stay with it. I bought the Elan new in Spring 2003. In June of that year, we went to Block Island Race Week and after five days of racing, finished dead last in our class. That was seven full seasons ago. In the past three seasons, we've never finished worst than third at a Beneteau 36.7 one design regatta. It was a long, slow learning curve. So, stay with it, don't accept mediocrity from yourself, crew or equipment; always push yourself and your crew to improve. For example, when we got really dialed-in and were consistently winning at the AYC Spring Series this year, we made sure to check the time delta to the 2nd place boat at every mark and worked hard to extend on each leg, whether the delta was 3 seconds or 3 minutes. Always push for improvement and you will get it.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
The Big Trip!
Natalie and I spent the long weekend in New York City. We saw West Side Story, the Statue of Liberty, and rode a double decker bus. We used the subway and explored Central Park by bike. It was terrific! Here's Natalie in Times Square:
This is the view of Times Square from our hotel window.
We were able to climb up the Statue of Liberty to the top of the pedestal. (To go all the way to the crown you need to make reservations many months in advance.)
Natalie's studying a sample "Ship's Manifest" with its list of newly arrived immigrants.
This is the view of Times Square from our hotel window.
We were able to climb up the Statue of Liberty to the top of the pedestal. (To go all the way to the crown you need to make reservations many months in advance.)
Natalie's studying a sample "Ship's Manifest" with its list of newly arrived immigrants.
Liberty Enlightening the World
Natalie's friend Hazel, and her parents, joined us for a full day of subway riding, exploring the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and dinner. Thank you!
That's Lady Liberty directly above Hazel's hand.
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